Tess Of The D'Urbervilles - 1999 West End flop

[StageDoorLondon]

Posted: 8/1/14 at 5:34am

Just to give people the heads up that the 1999 West End musical adaptation of Thomas Hardy's 'Tess Of The D'Urbervilles' will be released as a full length album on September 29th. The musical received sensational reviews in its pre-London tour but was savaged by the critics when it opened at the Savoy in November 1999. The press declared it "the last great musical flop of the Millennium"!

Although a 6 track EP was recorded by the London cast (Philippa Healey, Alasdair Harvey, Jonathan Monks) a full length album was never issued. However, a year prior to the show opening, a studio cast recording was made of the complete 3 hour score with an alternate cast led by Cathy Sara as Tess, Mark Umbers as Angel and Martin Crewes as Alec. Working with the composer Stephen Edwards, this recording has now been remastered and abridged to produce a cast recording that reflects the West End production.

It really is a sensation score and features some stunning performances, particularly Mark Umbers as Angel Clare.

Updated On: 8/1/14 at 05:34 AM

[Jonathan Bloom]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 9:22am

Wow. I'm surprised they went to the effort of releasing this, given the fact they suddenly closed before their early closing date (cast told before a Monday night performance, sets and costumes impounded by the debt collectors.) I think the production company went into administration?

It remains one of the worst shows I've ever seen in the West End in over 15 years of regular theatregoing.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 2:18pm

Where would it be available in the states?

[TBFL]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 4:58pm

It was a very long three hours at the Savoy, and there were probably more people in the cast than there were in the stalls at the performance i was at.

[StageDoorLondon]

Posted: 8/3/14 at 3:14am

Mr Roxy - in the US, the CD is currently available for pre-order at Footlight.com and will soon be on Amazon.com too. It's also on Amazon.co.uk and the Stage Door website (where orders will be posted out approx 4 weeks prior to the CD release date).

You can check out the opening number 'Who's Spinning The Wheel' on soundcloud
https://soundcloud.com/stage-door-records/whos-spinning-the-wheel-from-tess-of-the-durbervilles

[Eurotrash]

Posted: 8/4/14 at 4:23am

and a bargain at £7.99

[Rockyfan2000]

Posted: 8/15/14 at 12:58pm

It's being revived next month at the New Wimbledon Studio Theatre in London...

[carriesparkle]

Posted: 8/20/14 at 11:34am

It's a different adaptation at Wimbledon.

[StageDoorLondon]

Posted: 4/4/15 at 6:04am

We've just published a new podcast profiling the 1999/2000 West End flop 'Tess Of The D'Urbervilles' which gives an insight into the show's development and a look back at the production described by one critic as "the last great musical flop of the Millennium".

The programme features interviews with the composer Stephen Edwards, lyricist Justin Fleming, director / adapter Karen Louise Hebden and both actresses who played Tess; Poppy Tierney and Philippa Healey.

The podcast also features excerpts from the previously unheard live recording of the production, recorded on the press night at the Savoy Theatre.

The Making Of 'Tess Of The D'Urbervilles' is available to download for free now from iTunes and Soundcloud.

DOWNLOAD FROM ITUNES
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/002-tess-durbervilles-savoy/id950184785?i=339002952&mt=2

DOWNLOAD FROM SOUNDCLOUD
https://soundcloud.com/stage-door-records/tess-of-the-durbervilles-podcast

Updated On: 4/4/15 at 06:04 AM